Apparatus for extracting and saving gold.



PATENTED JAN. a, 1907. V v J. A. GOOMBES'. APPARATUS FOR EXTRAGTING AND-SAVINGGOLD.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1905.

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' PATENTED JAN, 8, 1907.

. I J. AJJOOMBES. APPARATUS FOR EXTRAGTING AND SAVING GOLD.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1905.

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JOSEPH ALLISON COOMBES, OF ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE AURUM MlNINGr COMPANY, CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

APPARATUS FOR .EXTRACTlNG' ANDSAVING' GOLD- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 8, 1907.

Application filed November 10, 1905. Serial No. 286,695.

T on whom/ it may concern/r Be it known that I, JOSEPH ALLISON CooMBEs, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a residentof Atlantic City, county of Atlantic, and State of New Jersey, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Extracting and Saving Gold, of which the following is a specification.

This invention'relates to certain new and useful improvements in apparatus for extracting and saving gold from alluvial or placer beds,'dirt, sand, and gravel, and pulverized rock.

The present invention has'for its objects, among others, to provide simple and eflicient means whereby the. material may be successfully treated in the absence of water or other li uid and yet effect a saving of practically al of the gold in the dirt, &c. The apparatus may be used absolutely without chemicals or with quicksilver or other suitable substan'ce.

I provide an adjustable inclined hopper upon which the dirt isdeposited, the coarse gangue flowing over from the same into the dump, while the gold-bearing dirt passes through the screen into the upri ht section of the apparatus, where it is reg ated in its flow to the revolving cylinders by means of an adjustable regulator. Beneath the said re ulator I dispose one or more revolvin cylinders provided with projections, an

when more than one cylinder is employed they are connected to revolve in unison. These cylinders may or may not be coated with quicksilver for a purpose which will be readily understood. The upright section connects with a substantially horizontal section,'-at one end of which is disposed a suction-fan and at the other end a removable box designed to receive'the gold, while the gangue or worthless dust is drawn or sucked out at the other end by the suction-fan. The horizontal section may in some instances be providedwith'riflies or the like, and the re'-. volving'cylinders are designed to be revolved by connection with the fan-shaft. The bottom of the horizontal section is in sections,

so that either section may'be removedfor the.

purpose of. cleaning. up or other purposes, and the portions. between the riflies are corru'gated to form receptacles for containing quicksilver when the latter is employed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by the appendedclaims. Y

'The invention in its preferred form is clearly illustrated in theaccom anying draw-' ings, which, with the numera s of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a substantially central vertical section through my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail, with a portion in elevation, of the adjustably-inclined hopper. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail, in side elevation, of the lower or horizontalsection of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of one of the sections of the bottom of the horizontal portion of the apparatus.

Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the line 6 6 of Fig. l

1 looking down.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views in which they appear.

Referring now to the details of. the drawings, 1 designates a casing substantially upright and ,of any suitable material of proper height and dimensions, having, referably,

- one side made removable, as by t e screws 2 or analogous means, so as to permit access to the cylinders when necessary. At the upper end of this casing is a receiving-hopper '3,

which has a reticulated bottom 4, and this hopper is designed to be sustained in an inclinedposition, which inclination, however, is adjustable at will in accordance withthe this inclined'hopper dispenses with the employment of any grizzly or shaker heretofore employed to prevent clogging ofthe screen. This hopper may be made adjustable in any suitable manner. In the presentinstance I have shown a convenient way, which coincharacter of the material beingtreated, and

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riffies 8, which latter may or may not be employed, as may be found most expedient. If it is found that the material being treated is of such a nature that the heavy gangue does not readily flow over the ho per into the dump, the inclination of tffe hopper is changed till the heavy gangue flows over as it should do' in order to obtain the ,best results.

Within the casing 1, beneath the hopper, is a pivoted regulator 9, which is provided with a projecting pintle 10, provided with a handle 11, by which the position of the regulator may be readily changed to vary the flow of the material to the cylinders arranged therebeneath. This regulator is preferably inclined, as shown, to facilitate the flow of the material as it comes from the hopper. This regulator also regulates the air-draft.

Within the casing 1 I arrange one or more cylinders, in this case two--12 and 13being shown. Each is provided about its periphcry with a plurality of projections or v ins 14,

and the size of the cylinders is suc as to leave a space between their peripheries and the walls of-the casing; but the projections come practically close to the said walls, as shown. These cylinders, with their projections, serve to disintegrate any material that may, perchance, become caked by reason of its being moist or for any other cause requiring to be broken up. The spaces between the projections, as well as the rojections themselves, may be dressed wit mercury when desired for the purpose of amalgamating and saving the very fine gold-dust.

The cylinders 12 and 13 are designed to be revolved, in this instance by the belt 15, passed around pulleys 16 and 17 on the shafts of said cylinders, as seen clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, and the shaft 18 of the lower cylinder is extended and has a bearing in a bracket 19, secured to the outer wall of the casing, as

. seen in Fig. 2, and on this extended end of this shaft is a pulley 20, which receives a belt 21, which passes over a pulley 22 on the shaft 23 of the suction-fan, and on this latter shaft is a ulley 24, to which motion is imparted by a elt 25, (seen in Fig. 1,) and deriving its power from any suitable source." (Not shown.) By this means the cylinders 12 and 13 are revolved from the fan-shaft.

26 is the horizontal or lower portion of the apparatus. It comprises a casing, which may be more or less inclined, as seen in Fig. 1. It is closed at its rear end, as seen at 27, and at a point near said closed end there is the side outlet 28 into the fan-casing 29. The fan 3() may be of any of the well-known forms of suction-fans suited to the purpose and is carried by the shaft 23, as seen in Fig. 1.

31 is the outlet from the fan-casing.

The horizontal portion 26 of the apparatus may be of any required length, and its front into which the gold is received as it comes down the upri ht casing 1. made removable and insertible at the front end of the horizontal portion 26 and extends about two-thirds of its length within the said horizontal ortion of the apparatus, as seen in Fig. 1. ft has a perforated top 33, as seen in Fig. 1, and it slides in upon the bottom of the horizontal section, as seen in said Fig. 1. In this instance it is shown as provided at its inner end with a turned-up portion 34, which may serve as a riflie. It may be provided with a suitable handle 35, as seen in Fig. 1, by which it may be manipulated.

The bottom of the horizontal section is made in sections separately supported, so that any section may be removed for cleaning up or repairs. These sections 36 are held in their normal position by suitable means, as the hooks 37, engagim the pins or the like 38, as seen in Fig. 4. These bottom sections are provided with the riflies 39, as seen best in the enlarged section, Fig. 5, and the portions of the bottoms between these riffles are corrugated, as seen at 40, to form receptacles for mercury when the same is employed.

The bottom of the hopper is made removable, being slidable in suitable guide-grooves 41, as seen in Fig. 3, so that a bottom of any desired mesh of screen may be readily inserted, according to the wishes of the operator or the character of the material being treated.

The operation is as follows: The parts being arranged substantially as shown and vabove described the material to be treated is deposited upon the hopper, which is adjusted to the proper inclination, according to the character of the material, and the coarse gangue flows over the lower end. thereof and onto the dump. The finer portions and the gold pass through the screen and upon the regulator 9, which is also properly adjusted, and from thence the material flows upon the upper revolving cylinder 12 and from thence upon the lower revolving cylinder 13 and then into the box 32. When the cylinders are dressed with mercury, the fine particles of gold-dust will be collected thereupon. The suction-fan is operated during the operation of the apparatus and creates a suction, which. may be regulated by the adjustment of the regulator 9, and the worthless dust, &c., is sucked or drawn out throu h the rear end of the horizontal portion of the apparatus. What particles there may be of gold that does not deposit in the box 32 is caught by the riffles and by the mercury in the corrugated portions 40 of the bottom of the horizontal section. The suction is so adjusted that none of the lighter gangue reaches the box 32, it being drawn out through the horizontal portion and out at the discharge-out- 6 5 end is designed to receive the removable box 1 let of the fan. The rifiles in the bottom of This box 32 is the hopper'serveto catch the nu gets of gold which may be picked therefrom iy'hand.

It is evident that the method may be carried out by other means than that described, and it is also evident that variations, modifications, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any ofits advantages. I therefore do not wish to be restricted to the details of construction herein disclosed, but reserve the right to make such changes, variations, and modifications as come properly within the scope of the protection prayed.

What is claimed as new is 1. In a gold-saving apparatus, a vertical casing, an inclined hopper adj ustably and re-' movably mounted at the upper end of said casing, a pivotally-mounted inclined regulator within said casing beneath said hopper,

a pair of cylinders mounted to revolve in unison Within said casing beneath said regulator, and means for revolving said cylinders.

2. In a gold-saving apparatus, a vertical casing, an inclined hopper adjustably and removably mounted at the upper end of said casing, a 'pivotally-mounted inclined regulator within said casing beneath said hopper,

a pair of cylinders mounted to revolve in umson within said casing beneath said regulator, means for revolving said cylinders, a horizontally-inclined casing communicating with the lower end of the vertical casing, a suction-fan located at one end of said horizontal casing, and a receptacle removably inserted in the other end beneath said cyl-.

inders.

- 3. In a gold-saving apparatus, a vertical casing, an inclined hopper adjustably and removably mounted at the upper end of said casing, a pivotally-mounted inclined regulator within said casing beneath said hopper, a pair of cylinders mounted to revolve in unison Within said casing beneath said regulator, means for revolving said cylinders, a horizontally-inclined caslng communicating with the lower end of the vertical casing, a suction-fan located at one end of said horizontal casing, and a receptacle removably inserted in the other end beneath said cylinders, the bottom "of the horizontal casing between the fan and the receptacle being provided with riffles.

4. In a gold-saving apparatus, a vertical casing, an inclined hopper adjustably mounted at the upper end of said casing, a pivotally-mounted inclined regulator within said casing beneath said hopper, a pair of cylinders mounted to revolve in unison within said casing beneath'said regulator, means for positively revolving said cylinders, a horizontally disposed casing communicatin with the lower end of the vertical casing, an

a suction-fan located at the end of the horizontal casing farthest from the vertical cas-.

the lower end of the vertical casing, and a suction-fan located at the end of the horizontal casing farthest from the vertical casing, said cylinders being provided with projections upon their peripheries.

6. In a gold-saving apparatus, a casing, an inclinedhopper at the upper end thereof, a pivotally-mounted regulator in said casing beneath said hopper, cylinders disposed one above the other in said casing beneath the regulator and having rigid projections on their peripheries, a horizontal portion in communication with said casing, and a suction-fan at the rear end of said horizontal portion.

7. In a gold-saving apparatus, a casing havin a hopper at its upper end, cylinders in sair casing, one above the other and having rigid points on their peripheries, a horizontal portion with a suction-fan at its rear end, and riflies at the bottom of thehorizontal portion.

8. In a'gold-savin'g apparatus, a vertical casing, a horizontal portion in communication therewith, a suction-fan at one end of the horizontal portion, and a removable box at the other end and cylinders revoluble in the ,vertical casing above said box, said cylinders being disposed one above the other and positively driven.

9. In a gold-saving apparatus, avertical casing, a substantially horizontal portion in communication therewith and having a bottom with alternately-disposed riffles and corrugations, a suction-fan at one end of the horizontal portion, a gold-collecting receptacle at theother end having a portion with a perforated top, and a cylinder revoluble in the vertical'casing above said receptacle.

Signed by me at Washington city, District of Columbia, this 9th day of November,

JOSEPH ALLISON GOOMBES. Witnesses:

M. A. BOND, FRANK A. HARRISON.

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